Home decorator and content creator Leah Hodson is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on overhauling a home with clever DIY and decorating tricks. See the rest of her articles here.
Our renovation is now 5 weeks in, and the walls are going up faster than I expected - for the first time since we started, the end feels genuinely within reach.
To recap, we’re extending and reworking our 1960s semi-detached to better suit our family as the children grow, creating clearly defined zones where we can escape to get things done, without losing that sense of being connected under one roof.
The garage conversion and small extension have given us the opportunity to add a utility, pantry and bootroom - those quietly practical spaces that make everyday life so much easier. We’ve opted for a builder’s finish, so once the dust settles we’ll be left with plastered walls and a blank canvas, ready to decorate ourselves. That’s the part I’m most excited about - making what was once a dream, a reality.
At the heart of it all is the kitchen. Nothing quite signals adulthood like being genuinely excited about designing one. For the first time, this will be a kitchen that’s entirely ours, rather than something inherited from previous owners.
After researching good quality kitchens that are affordable, I found Smile Kitchens. I love being able to work with a kitchen designer to plan out our perfect space without the hard sell!
We landed on a U-shaped layout that maximises storage without making our relatively small area (3.2m x 2.8m) feel boxed in. I’ve deliberately kept wall units to a minimum to maintain a sense of openness, swapping solid cabinetry for open shelving where possible - the perfect excuse to display the pieces I love.
Having a professional to bounce ideas off has been invaluable, not just creatively but practically too; someone to offer me reassurance about what will work long-term, rather than what looks good on paper. I’m still stuck on what colours to go for (another shade of beige of course!) as Smile Kitchens have such gorgeous neutral options that match the colours I have in my home already, but I’m nearly there!
Beyond the kitchen, the addition I’m quietly most excited about is the utility room. For years, having a washing machine tucked under a kitchen worktop has felt wrong to me. Growing up in Singapore, my childhood home had a small but separate laundry space, so finally recreating that feels like a full-circle moment.
A dedicated place for washing, drying and ironing will feel like a small luxury that will make daily life calmer and more organised.
Then there’s the pantry - the space that has fully captured my imagination. Ever since spotting a pink pantry a few years ago, the idea has lived rent-free in my head.
We’re a household that likes to stock up, from snacks to tins and everything in between, so having one dedicated space will be a welcome change from endlessly rummaging through cupboards.
In my mind, it’s less functional storage and more mini farmer’s market energy. Whether reality lives up to that vision remains to be seen, but the excitement is very real.
No renovation comes without its setbacks or moments of doubt. My plans might sound dreamy, but the reality of living through a renovation is dust, disruption and ever shifting timelines.
If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be this: avoid renovating in winter if you can. The cold, the rain and the constant uncertainty add an extra layer of challenge. I was expecting the builders to take 3 months to finish working due to the weather but they have marched on despite days of heavy rain, surprising me with how fast they work!
Because our builders have worked faster than expected, we’ve been without a roof for the past two weeks while the extension progresses. I know they’ll be worth the wait - my only regret is dragging my feet deciding on the size and finish.
I’ve landed on solar-powered roof windows with external shutters from FAKRO, a detail my builders described as “very fancy”. After two years living in Essex, we’ve learnt the weather here behaves differently to much of the UK, with sunshine making more frequent appearances. Those shutters will more than prove their worth come summer, helping to manage heat and light.
All these little touches are worth waiting for and will serve as a small reminder that even in the messiest middle stages, there’s a finished home waiting on the other side.
While there’s still plenty to do, it feels like we’re at a real turning point in the renovation. With the structure taking shape and stud walls being built, it finally feels like the vision I’ve held onto for years is finally becoming tangible.
As the build moves forward and the decorating begins, I’m looking forward to sharing how these everyday spaces come together - not just as rooms, but as places designed to support how we actually live.
